Listen: Gilligan Moss - "What Happened?"

Since the release of their debut EP Ceremonial back in 2015, electronic duo Gilligan Moss have avoided a total post-release hiatus with a series of high profile remixes for artists like Tegan and Sara, The Dø, and Sébastien Tellier, as well as shows with The Knocks, The Midnight, and Toro y Moi all the while hinting at upcoming releases while balancing festival slots and dj sets.

Last year saw the release of two new tracks in the form of FoF compilation album cut "Mirror Mantra" and Our First 100 Days contribution "U Ruined It" and both were lower energy affairs that eschewed the floor-filling tendencies of their previous tracks and remixes in favor of a more mood music like vibe. Considering their methods of gestation and composition - "Mirror Mantra" a reflection of the duo's morning rituals put into music form and the political protest of "U Ruined It", it's hardy surprising that they weren't outright bangers but as the only original music released by the duo since their EP, it did bring to mind that perhaps downtempo would be the name of the game for their forthcoming release.

"What Happened?" arrives to articulately answer any questions for fans of the group that haven't been able to make it out to their live sets. Inspired by the same Upstate NY writing/recording retreat that bore "Mirror Mantra", "What Happened?" draws its influence from the wide expanses of nature instead of the bustling cities the twosome often find themselves in. It's not a totally alien concept - the inspiration for the digital coming from a return to more organic environments (just look at Photay's Onism) but Gilligan Moss put their personal stamp on it. Where "It Felt Right" introduced fans to their own produced vocals - "What Happened?" sees the dynamic duo back to their seamless editing of samples, maneuvering their multitude of densely textured layers into swift but surprisingly orderly formations - not unlike a flock of birds or a colony of butterflies. That sense of quickness; of urgency is intentional though. "What Happened?" is inspired by those moments in life that twist and contort you and that sense confusion and growth that await you on the other side. The "what happened?" that closes the song is meant in the purely literal sense as the climactic build subsides and gives you the chance to reorient yourself.

Gilligan Moss continue to operate at peak form - blending their experimental flourishes with universally enjoyable elements of dance to create rich, textural tapestries that are also so damn easy to dance to. It's a delicate balance: creating music that is interesting to listen to while also being accessible but Gilligan Moss have proved themselves time and time again both as skilled walkers of this particular tightrope but also as fearless producers capable of pursuing the path less traveled for a track with more depth. The result is dance music that appeals to music lovers in general - not just lovers of dance music and tracks that are beguiling distinct and effortlessly unpredictable.



Gilligan Moss' new single "What Happened?" is out now on AMF Records. Hopefully with more to follow soon.     

Listen: Gilligan Moss - "Mirror Mantra"

Essentially just appearing in 2013 with one of the best dance tracks in "Choreograph" I've been a huge fan of Gilligan Moss to the point when they were slated to hit CMJ 2015 I attended almost every single set. Since the release of their Ceremonial EP that same year, Gilligan Moss have mostly kept to themselves working on a follow up occasionally sending out remixes like carrier pigeons to send news that they'll still at work. While it still remains to be seen when that follow up will make it's way into the world, the duo have a new track "Mirror Mantra" released as part of FoF Music's Up Too Early compilation.

Inspired by and written during mornings in upstate NY (where I'm assuming the now NYC based duo were on a writing retreat), it's a considerably chiller affair. Gilligan Moss' music has never felt particular overstuffed with beats, samples, and effects but "Mirror Mantra" feels far more open, more expansive and free than any of the cuts off Ceremonial. Their touch is light, hazy vocals filtering in like the rising sun through the bedside window. The most impressive feat is how the duo are able to balance that lightness in composition, brightness in feel, and the sort of questing nature of the piano melodies with beats that still manage to be dance-friendly. It's not an out and out floorfiller but there's an unescapeable toe-tapping quality that follows the song from beginning to end. Gilligan Moss have an ineffable knack for producing vibrant texture dance jams and even the mellower "Mirror Mantra" adheres to that: shifting to sepia from technicolor. Whether it's a one-off experiment or indicative of what's to come it demonstrates the duo are capable of a versatility that's bound to serve them well in the future.

Listen to Gilligan Moss' "Mirror Manta":


Gilligan Moss will be embarking on a tour with The Knocks. Check show dates and plan your next dance party here.